Northumberland-Quinte West Schools Benefit from Repairs and Upgrades

Updates Include New Windows, Roofs, Heating and Cooling Systems

Students in Northumberland and Quinte West will start the school year with better buildings for better learning as a result of extensive repair and renewal work over the summer by local school boards.

In June, the Ontario government increased its two-year investment in local repair and renewal to $686 million over the next two years - an increase of $297 million. A few examples of recent work that is improving the quality of Northumberland-Quinte West schools include repair and renewal to:

Port Hope High School, Port Hope – upgrades to mechanical & heating ventilation air control system

Frankford Public School, Quinte West – replacement of communication systems

Across the province, Ontario increased its investment in school repair and renewal by $1.1 billion, bringing its total funding to $2.7 billion over the next two years to improve school conditions. This is estimated to benefit more than 2,100 schools with repair and renewal projects valued at $100,000 or more - in addition to many other smaller projects.

These projects - in Northumberland- Quinte West and throughout Ontario - are part of the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province's history - about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across Ontario.

Investing in better schools for better learning is part of the government's economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and transit in Ontario's history and is investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses.

QUOTES

“I’m delighted that our government continues to support Northumberland-Quinte West students by improving local schools and promoting student achievement and well-being. Investing in repair and renewal is essential to deliver on our promise of a world-class publicly funded education system for every student in Ontario. It also boosts our local economy.”

-Lou Rinaldi, M.P.P., Northumberland - Quinte West

"Every student deserves a safe, modern and healthy learning environment, because better buildings mean better student achievement and well-being. That is why our government made such a historic investment in repair and renewal, and why school boards have worked so hard over the summer to turn our investment into results for Ontario’s students." - Hon. Mitzie Hunter - Minister of Education

QUICK FACTS

-The Ministry of Education is providing the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board $37 million, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic DSB $10 million, Hastings and Prince Edward $34 million, Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board $16 million and over the next two years to support repair and renewal in its schools.

Renewal funding is allocated to school boards in proportion to their renewal needs.

The additional $1.1 billion in repair and renewal funding addresses the Auditor General of Ontario’s recommendations in 2015 to increase investment in school renewal to 2.5 per cent of schools’ replacement value and to direct two-thirds of infrastructure investment in schools to renewal over new construction.

Since 2003, the province has invested more than $14 billion in school infrastructure, including building nearly 760 new schools and more than 735 additions and renovations across Ontario.

The province is providing school boards with more than $12 billion over 10 years to help build new schools in areas of high growth, improve the condition of existing schools and invest in projects to reduce surplus space through school consolidations.